As hiring freeze continues, assembly members review vacant jobs

An assembly subcommittee will meet on Friday evening (6-7-19) to begin poring over a list of vacant city positions. Committee chair Steven Eisenbeisz and members Valorie Nelson and Richard Wein will then make recommendations to the assembly as to whether or not those positions should be filled.

The assembly instituted a city-wide hiring freeze in April as an attempt to cut the budget through attrition. Then in May, it appointed a subcommittee to review all city staff positions as they become vacant.

Among the jobs on the list is the planning director position. City administrator Keith Brady offered the job to Bruce Wall, of Soldotna, but the hire was rejected by the assembly, with some members voicing dissatisfaction over the salary offer of $93,000.

The subcommittee will also review the police chief position, which Brady recently offered to Robert Baty, who has been serving as interim since April. They’ll consider two other recent vacancies in City Hall: the human resources director, a position that Matthew Ione left vacant when he resigned after three months, and the community affairs director, open since Meagan Bosak recently took a job with SEARHC.

The group will also consider vacant police officer positions, a jail officer position, street maintenance positions, a lease manager job, and a grant administrator position.